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  dvertising
is built upon a foundation of popular culture.
In other words, advertising relies
on 'what's hot, and what's not' to pitch its sundry wares.
In some instances, advertising leads
popular culture. A famous example is Wendy's "Where's the
Beef?" campaign. When presidential candidate Walter Mondale
asked the same question, it made front page headlines.
| Name an advertising campaign that's
helped shape popular culture.
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| Name a promotional campaign that
sucked the teat of popularity.
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| Isn't it interesting that the only 'followers'
we recall are the campaigns running right now? Geez, are
we really that forgetful? |
In the absence of Clara Peller's commercial
bellow, Mondale's
remark wouldn't have merited a mention, much less boldface.
Why is this important? Because popular
culture changes. It is not a constant. It is not inherent. It
is not a tradition. It is here one day, gone the next.
In sum, popular culture is the antithesis
of a brand, which is purportedly durable, lasting, and permanent.
Just as you can't build a castle on shifting sands, you cannot
build a brand atop fleeting popular culture. The castle will
tumble, and the brand will crumble.
Your agency never told you this, did
it?
OK, anybody can be a critic (does
anyone read and enjoy Ellen Goodman's column, for god's sake?).
What do we do about this allegedly
inherent mess?
:
- Don't worry about long-term
branding. Go with the flow, as it were. If an opportunity
arises to cash in on a craze, do it.
- "Brand stewardship"
and its ilk are usually nothing more than chicken-shit excuses
not to try something new. Brand should never stand in the
way of a truly great idea, no matter how opposite a message
you may end up sending.
- Change is good. It's about time
you changed your crummy image anway.
- Never, ever, ever, assume that
if your agency, vendor, credit card issuer, whomever the hell
it may be, says they can't do it, that it means no one else
can, or that you should not. Most good ideas (like the Home
Mortgage Card) die because someone more worried about looking
bad somehow kills the Big Idea that could have made you and
your product look good (not to mention have put more green
in your purse or wallet).
- Take the blame for stupidity,
pass the credits for success. No, it won't help your business.
But if you believe in an afterlife it'll help you get to the
climate-controlled part.
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